Spaghetti and Meatballs With Cheesy Garlic Bread

If you like a thick and meaty spaghetti sauce, you're going to love this recipe. The meatballs that are in this sauce were precooked, frozen, and store bought. Included below is a recipe for homemade meatballs.

Served with cheesy garlic bread and a side salad.

• 2 pounds of lean ground beef
• 25 small Italian meatballs
• 1 large can of Tomato Sauce
• 1 large can of diced tomatoes
• 2-3 stalks of celery
• 1 medium-large onion
• 1 medium green pepper
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 1 Tbs. of vegetable oil

Spices

• Fresh ground pepper
• ½ tsp. of dried thyme leaves
• ½ tsp. of dried basil
• ½ tsp. of dried oregano
• ½ tsp. crushed red pepper
• 4-5 dashes of hot sauce

1. In a frying pan cook the ground beef.
2. While the ground beef is cooking chop the celery, onion and green pepper. Peel and thinly slice the garlic cloves.
3. Once the ground beef is cooked drain the fat and put aside.
4. Heat meatballs according to package instructions.
5. In the bottom of a large pot add vegetable oil and heat on medium-high. Add onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic. Cook and stir for five minutes.
6. To the pot add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and spices. Stir well. Add the ground beef and meatballs. Bring sauce to where it's just starting to boil and turn the burner to simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes.
7. At this point, you can serve over cooked pasta noodles or cover and set aside until you're ready to eat.
8. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Normally I would add fresh mushrooms to this sauce.

This spaghetti dish can be made with or without the meatballs.

You can add more garlic or less garlic depending on what you like.

Most spaghetti sauce recipes call for tomato paste. I find that the sauce was thick enough without adding the paste.

If you don't have diced tomatoes on hand, canned whole or plum tomatoes can be used.

Ingredients

• 1 loaf of Italian or French bread
• ¼ cup of butter or margarine
• 6 garlic cloves
• ½ cup of either cheddar or your favorite type of cheese.

Making the Cheesy Garlic Bread

• Turn oven on broil setting and place oven rack on second from the top.
• Peel garlic cloves and cut in half.
• In a small bowl add softened butter or margarine.
• Press garlic into the butter or margarine and mix well.
• Slice bread in half down the center as shown in picture and spread the garlic butter onto the bread.
• Grate cheese and sprinkle on top of the garlic butter.
• Place under broiler until cheese is melted and bread browned.
• Slice and serve.